Mail-box.



No. 679,645. Patented July 30, l90l. W. W. SWEIGART.

MAIL BOX.

7 [Application filed Feb. 21, 1901.) (No Model.)

THE ncnms PETERS o0, PHuTo-Lrmu, wumncnou. n. c.

UNrrnb STATES PATENT OFFICE.

XVEBSTER WV. SWEIGART, OF YORKROAD, MARYLAND.

MAIL-BOX.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 679,645, dated July 30,1901. Application filed February 21, 1901. Serial No. 48,286. (Nomodel.)

To 66 whom, it may concern.-

Be it known that LWEBSTER W. S WEIGART, a citizen of the United States,residing at Yorkroad, in the county of Carroll and State of Maryland,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Mail-Boxes;- and Ido hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exactdescription of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in theart to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to an improvement in mail-boxes; and it consists incertain novel features of construction and combinations of parts,whichwill be more fully described hereinafter and particularly pointed out inthe claim.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l is a view in front elevation ofmy improved mail-box. Fig. 2 is a transverse vertical section throughthe center of the box, and Fig. 3 is a detail view.

A represents the rear of the box, and B the I rounded top, the forwardedge of which terminates in an outwardly-projecting ledge b, adapted topreventrain orsnow from entrance to the receptacle below.

C 0 represent the ends of the box, they being secured at the rear andupper edges to the back and top of the box.

D indicates the tray. This consists of ends (1 cl, bottom e, rear c andinclined front 6 all secured together, and the forward edge of the frontterminates in a flange (2 which closes under the projecting ledge h ofthe cover. The tray is pivoted in proximity to the angle of the ends tothe corresponding points in the ends of the box, so that thepreponderance of weight is to the rear of these pivots, and as a resultthe tray always closes by gravity the moment it is released. The traywhen closed virtually constitutes the bottom and front of the box. Theflange of the tray is provided with a slot 1 and the ledge of the coverwith astaple 2, adapted to enter that slot when the tray is closed. Ahandle 3 at one end of the flange, preferably, is provided forconvenience in opening the box. A slot in one end of the box, as at 4,is provided to receive the mail-matter, and over this a flange is formedby the metal which is cut out to form the slot.

The rear of the box is provided with several holes 6 6 to receive screwsor nails or other fastening means by which to secure the box to a post,fence, building, or the like, and the heads or nuts on these securingdevices are covered by the tray when closed, so that it is impossible toobtain access to them to remove the box from the place where it isfixed.

As a convenient locking means I propose to adopt the following: Thisconsists of a bar 7, bent into U shape and adapted to enter the staple.This bar is provided with a slot or eyelet 8 at each end,and padlocks 99 of greater size than the opening through the staple are used in theseslots or eyelets to prevent the withdrawal of the locking-bar from thestaple. These locks are adapted for two different keys, and it isdesigned that the carrier shall have a key which will fit one look ofeach box that he has to serve, whereas the other lock is adapted toreceive a single key or the keys of the patron of the box where thelatter is located, so that the carrier and the patron carry the keys toeach individual box and no unauthorized person can get access thereto.

A signal in the form of a tag 12 (shown in dotted lines in Fig. 3) isemployed to indicate the presence of mail-matter in the box. This isslipped on bar 7 when mail-matter is in the box, where it is held by thelocks, and when there is nothing in the box the signal is left inside ofthe box.

Having thus fully described myinvention, what I claim as new, and desireto secure by Letters Patent, is

A letter-box comprising a body portion, a tray hinged thereto, one parthaving a staple and the other a slot to receive the staple, and afastening device consisting of a bar adapted to pass through the staple,and provided with means for attaching locks to each end thereof onopposite sides of the staple.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

WVEBSTER. W. SWEIGART.

WVitnesses:

FRANK E. NEWTON,- RALPH S. WARFIELD.

